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Conan O’Brien faced an unimaginable personal tragedy last December when his parents, Dr. Thomas Francis O’Brien and Ruth Reardon O’Brien, died within just three days of each other. During this difficult time, his friend Will Arnett offered comfort in a uniquely comedic way – by creating a running joke that Jason Bateman was responsible for their deaths.
The unusual coping mechanism began immediately after Conan’s father passed away. Arnett recalled sending a heartfelt message: “Hey, listen. I’m sorry to hear about your dad’s passing, sending love from our family to yours.” Instead of a conventional response, Conan replied with dark humor.
“Thank you, Will. To be honest, I blame Bateman,” O’Brien texted back.
Arnett, understanding his friend’s comedic instincts even in grief, played along. “I wrote, ‘It’s not a terrible theory,’” he shared. “And Conan texted me back, ‘He killed my dad.’”
When Ruth Reardon O’Brien died at 92 just days later, the macabre bit continued – evolving into an elaborate scenario where Bateman (Arnett’s co-host on the SmartLess podcast) was supposedly hunting for more victims.
Arnett texted Conan: “Um, Bateman is asking for your sister’s street address. Okay to give?”
Despite dealing with funeral arrangements and family matters, O’Brien eventually responded with: “Just seeing this now. Fantastic. 625 Boyleston Street, Apartment 12C. Tell Bateman to make it look like a robbery.”
The texts between Conan, Will Arnett, and Jason Bateman are hilarious. Conan lost both of his parents and somehow joking about Bateman killing them is so dark and yet such a sweet way to help a friend grieve. pic.twitter.com/pRn9l3kH4K
— Zito (@_Zeets) December 9, 2025
During their conversation, O’Brien reflected on how this gallows humor actually helped him process his loss. “You know what’s weird? I swear to God, this is how I grieve,” he admitted. “It was so comforting for me to screw around with you guys at that moment. It just was. And if that makes me a madman, then so be it.”
The touching story emerged during Arnett’s appearance on Conan’s podcast, where he was primarily promoting his new film “Is This Thing On?” – directed by Bradley Cooper. The movie, which hits theaters December 19, features an impressive ensemble including Arnett, Cooper, Laura Dern, Andra Day, Amy Sedaris, Sean Hayes, Christine Ebersole, and Ciarán Hinds.
